Traffic can become quite hectic and unsafe when power outages occur due to storms, inclement weather, malfunctions and the like. When for example thunderstorms cause traffic lights to become inoperable, the rates of serious accidents and injuries increase significantly. In the current art and in order to reduce accidents, intersections that become inoperable are maintained by a traffic controller or police officers. However, their response is not always possible and certainly never instantaneous upon the loss of power. Therefore, there is a need for a system that can be implemented concomitantly with existing traffic lights which automatically deploy and display safety information in the event of a power outage.
In the current art, there exist some devices that act as emergency backup systems for traffic light power failures. These devices generally employ secondary powering means such as battery packs. However, these devices run out of power, stop working, require recharging and are relatively expensive.
Therefore, in the applicant's experience, there is a need for a new and useful system for the automatic deployment of traffic control signs during a power outage which possesses the properties of i) enhancing public safety, ii) automatic deployment in the event of power outage, iii) ability to be placed in a plurality of roadway intersections and structures, iv) providing an alternative means to deploy safety and other information, and v) eliminating driver confusion when deployed. The device of the present invention is believed to accomplish all of the foregoing objectives.